Nickolas thelef



(No Model.)

N. THELEN.

FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

Dec. 20, 1887.

N. PETERS. Photokithogmphw. Wzshingtan. D. Q

vertical wall of the building.

and the wall.

escape ladder that may be utilized to afford UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

NICKOLAS THELEN, OF SGHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,107, dated December20, 1887.

Application filed August 5,1887.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NIOKOLAS THELEN, of Schenectady, in the county ofSchenectady and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Escape Ladders; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escape ladders.

The nature and object of my present invention are to provide a portablefire-proof ladder that can be placed in an elevated room of a buildingand secured below a window of the room, it being rolled upon a spool orreel in such a relative position to the window, below which one end ofthe ladder is secured to the floor or side of the room, that when thereeled ladder is thrown from the window it will unroll and in itsdownward passage automatically adjust itself in position against the Themanner of construction of the device causes the ladder.- rungs to beheld away from the wall sufficiently to allow a space between the ladderThe novel devices .by which the ladder is removed from the wall alsohold it in secure position, preventing side sway and rendering itavailable for use on both the in ner side next the wall and the outerside, as well, thus affording a safe avenue of escape from a burningbuilding, that willJoe available for use for the most timid female orchildren.

A further object is to produce a cheap firean escape from'a tier ofwindows in a building when a ladder is thrown from an upperstory ,windowand hangs in secured position a short distance projected in front of theseveral windows of avertical tier or row that are provided on differentfloors of ahigh structure.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafter shown,and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1is a side elevation of the device in position upon a liouse wall. Fig. 2is an enlarged view of one of the rungs Serial No. 246,214. (No model.)

of the ladder with its hinged folding bracketarms extended, or in theposition they will assume when the ladder is in use. Fig. 3 is a View ofa ladder-rung with the bracket-arms in folded adjustment. Fig. 4 is thereel upon which the ladder is rolled between its flanges.

The essential features of this invention consist in the peculiarities ofconstruction of the rungs of the ladder and their connection with twowire ropes-one at each end-to form the sides of the ladder, the rungsbeing arranged at spaced intervals; and as the construction of each oneof the series of rungs is identically the same a detailed description ofone rung and its adjuncts will answer for the entire ladder.

A represents a rung of the fireescape lad der, preferably made of woodof a tough strong quality, to afford the necessary lightness andstability that should be embodied in a device of the character underconsideration; but, if desired, in order to render the ladder capable ofwithstanding long continued exposure to heat or fire, it mayin somecases be preferred to use pieces of iron tubing of proper diameter forthe rungs of the ladder.

In case wood is employed for the manufac ture of the rungs, on accountof its comparative lightness and low cost, a socket-piece or ferrule, a,is secured upon each end of a rung, the ends of the rung beingpreferably reduced to fit with shoulders against the adjacent edges ofthe ferrules; and for general uses thelength of the rungs andattachments should be such as to pass squarely through thefrazne of anordinary window. The ferrules a. have their outer ends provided withlips a, that when manufactured are cast to extend outwardly; but whenthe rungs are to be affixed rigidly are bent down upon the ropes anddriven forcibly in contact with the ropes, to have their edges slightlyembedded, and thus beheld edges of the flanges, upon the inner oppositesides. Into the grooves c c a metallic capplate, (Z, is tightly drivento form a rectangular box, 6, which is open at each end and receives theslide-boltf, which is of similar form in cross-section and fits looselyin the box, so as to slide freely back and forth, when not designedlyprevented, in a manner and for apurpose that will be hereinafter shown.Upon the inner ends of the slide-boltsf lugs or short flanges f areformed on the sides of the bolts, that bear against the inner edges ofthe capplates (Z, which contact will prevent the slideboltsffrom leavingthe sockets in which they slide. Y

The inner portions of the vertical flanges b I), formed upon the side ofthe ferrules A, are rounded on the corners, and the metallic bracketarms O O are secured between them by bolts or pivot-rods i, insertedthrough holes made in the flattened ends of the arms, and also throughthe embracing walls or flanges b b, to permit the bracket-arms O O to bevibrated or folded upon these joints as hinges.

The bracket-arms O O are each provided .with an offset-shoulder, g,which extends toward the outer end of 1 the ferrule and rests upon thetop edges of the flanges b b when the arms are extended, these shouldersg checking the outward projection of the arms when they are located atright angles to the rung to which they are attached, and when they arethus extended they will be parallel to each other, as shown in Figs. 2and 3.

In order to cause the bracketarms O O to automatically project from afolded contact with the rung A and be held firmly at right angles to thebody of the rang, the elastic wire springs H are employed. Each springconsistsof a piece of wire bent toproduce a loop, h, which is but littlewider between its two side bars than the tapered body of the arms 0, andis given aform that coincides with the taper of these arms. Thesidepieces ofthe loops h are each bent into a coil around the pivotbolts2', and have their ends 70 extended down- 0 wardly, to be inwardly bentand enter the holes is, made in the side walls of the ferrules, and holdtightly coiled the springs which encircle the pivot-bolts The reel Gconsists of a shaft, G, and two flanges, G which are secured to the endsof the shaft, the diameter of these flanges being more than equal tothat of the roll which the ladder will make when it is rolled upon theshaft of the reel between the flanges G and it is necessary that,thespace between these flanges shall be just suffieient to permit the easyrolling of the flexible ladder upon it.

The wire ropes B are connected by one of their ends to the shaft G ofthe reel G. When the ladder is placed upon the reel, the bracketarms 0 Oare folded down closely and the slide-bolts f are made to abut withtheir inner ends against the adjacent fiat heels 8 of the rule-joints orhinges of the arms. The outer or free ends of the slidebolts are thusmade to come in contact with the near surface of the flanges G whichwill prevent them from sliding outwardly, the arms being held closelyfolded, while these slidebolts are locked by their engagement with theflanges, as stated.

A fire escape-ladder of the construction just described is preferablyplaced, when rolled upon its reel, in a suitable box, which should befirmly secured below the easement of a window in a room where it isdesirable to locate the device, and the ends of the wire rope of theladder, which is to be retained in the room, are secured firmly to theinside of the box.

NVhen the ladder is in requisition to afford a means of escape fromtheapartmentin which it is placed, by reason offire in the bullding, orother causes, the window is opened that is above theladder, and thereeled ladder 1s re moved from its box and thrown squarely therefrom. Itwillunroll as it falls downward, and each rung, as it leaves the reel,will have its bracket-arms projected from it at a r1ght angle, theselatter engaging the wall with the r outer ends, so as to secure theladder 1 n position,it being held away from the wall a dlstance equal tothe length of the bracket-arms O O, which will allow theladder to hestepped upon by any person who sits upon the sill of the Window; auditis advisable,in the construction of the ladder, that the length of thearms 0 G be -so proportioned that the ladder will be retained ataconvenient distance outside of the Window to afford a ready grasp forthe hands and engagement of the feet of a person about to escape fromthe window by its means.

It will be apparent that my improved fireescape ladder will, asconstructed, afford a safe avenue for escape from a burning build ing,and one that will be so convenient and stable that it will give nerveand'contidence to' the most timid woman who may need to use the ladderin an emergency.

The compact form in which the ladder can be rolled and stowed away inthe position best suited for instant use is another feature of greatadvantage.

The ladder, from the materials and form of construction employed, may becheaply produced and afforded for general use at a moderate price. v

Slight changes might be made in the forms of constructioii of several ofthe details to answer the same purposes and still be within the scope ofmy invention; hence I do not desire to confine myself to the precisemethod of construction herein shown; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with two strands offlexible incombustible material forming the sides of the ladder, ofseveral rungs secured to the side strands at spaced intervals, a set oftwo bracket-arms for each rung, and springs to project these rungs whenthe ladder is unrolled, substantially as set forth.

, 2. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with two strands offlexible material, of a series of cross-pieces or rungs secured to thestrands at spaced intervals, two bracket-arms, a spring for eachbracket-arm, and a reel to hold the ladder as a bundle, substantially asset forth.

3. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with two wire ropes orchains, of a series of rungs, and two spring-actuated pivotedbracket-arms for each rung, the said bracket-arms adapted to be turnedoutward at a right angle with the rung when the ladder is unrolled,

' substantially as set forth.

4. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with a rung, of two armshinged to ferrules at the ends of the rung, and coiled wire springs thatare adapted to throw out the arms when the ladder is unrolled from areel, substantially as set forth.

5. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination,

2: with a rung, of two arms hinged to fold upon the rung, and a springfor each arm adapted to project the arms at the same time, so as tostand at right angles to the rung when the.

ladder is unrolled, substantially as set forth.

6.v In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with a rung, two ferrulessecured to the ends of the rung, slide-bolts in the ends of theferrules, and two hinged bracket-arms, of a spring for each bracket-armthat will project the arms to stand at right angles to the rung, and twoflanges mounted on the ends of a shaft to hold the slide-bolts andprevent the arms from opening until the rungs are cleared from the reelwhen the ladder is being unrolled, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

NIOKOLAS THELEN. \Vitnesses:

MARTIN KREUZBERGER, Monrrz DORNUNG.

